Nurses' experiences with errors in nursing.

BACKGROUND: Health care organizations seek to maximize the reporting of medical errors to improve patient safety.

PURPOSE: This study explored licensed nurses' decision-making with regard to reporting medical errors.

METHODS: Grounded theory methods guided the study. Thirty nurses from adult intensive care units were interviewed, and qualitative analysis was used to develop a theoretical framework based on their narratives.

DISCUSSION: The theoretical model was titled "Learning Lessons from the Error." The concept of learning lessons was central to the theoretical model. The model included five stages: Being Off-Kilter, Living the Error, Reporting or Telling About the Error, Living the Aftermath, and Lurking in Your Mind.

CONCLUSION: This study illuminates the unique experiences of licensed nurses who have made medical errors. The findings can inform initiatives to improve error reporting and to support nurses who have made errors.